


Remind Me

by Justonebreathx (MandyxoxoPayne)



Category: NASCAR RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, NASCAR, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-07 15:29:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 17,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6811039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MandyxoxoPayne/pseuds/Justonebreathx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chase Elliott had it all - a promising racing career and possibly the love of his life by his side.  But what scared him the most wasn't the racing, nor moving up in the NASCAR series, it was the fact that he was so in love that it caused him to step back and because of that, he ruined the one thing that was good for him.  </p><p>Was it possible to have a second chance after screwing things up?</p><div class="center">
  <p>**</p>
</div>If time could be rewritten, Sadie Mae would tell her younger self to run away when she met Chase Elliott, because he's not worth the heartache that he put her through.  He's not worth the constant thought of "what happened between us" and he's certainly not worth falling in love with all over again.<p>When Sadie's hopes and dreams fall at the wayside, she finds herself in a situation she never thought possible - how one night with Chase changes her future for the good, and maybe, after all this time, this is what her dream should have been in the first place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

* * *

  


* * *

 

"No," I stared at the little white stick in my hand, the prominent double pink lines looking right up at me. "No," I shook my head, "this can't be happening." I picked up the box, looking for the instructions to make sure that this couldn't be a possibility.

"Sadie? Are you okay in there?" Chase knocked on the door, his voice startling me so much I dropped everything on the floor.

"Um, yeah," I cleared my throat. "I'll be out in a minute!"

I picked up the stick and looked at myself in the mirror and down to my stomach. I gave a little smile as a small flutter went through my heart.

_I'm pregnant._   


	2. Been So Long

* * *

 

* * *

  **September 2015  
  
**

"There he is!" Jenna whispered shouted as she leaned into me, taking a sip of her coffee.

"There who is?" It was Monday morning and I was already pissed off. Two weeks ago, my summer ended on a sour note when my dad told me I was going to start working for his company since I decided to quit college after one year and pursue a career in music. After living in Nashville for a few months and getting absolutely nowhere, I was forced to move back home since daddy cut off my funds.

Working at Hendrick Motorsports, was my punishment.

"Chase! Gosh, he's so cute." I rolled my eyes at the way she swooned over Chase's name. "Don't you think so, Sadie?"

I finished adding creamer to my coffee and gave her a stern look as I walked away, not even answering.

To be honest, Chase Elliott makes my skin crawl. I've heard his name come out of my dad's mouth more this past year than he's said my name. It's like he can walk on water or something.

The morning flew by without any interruptions and I found myself so caught up in my work that I was late to a meeting with Kasey Kahne to go over changes to his website. I picked up the spreads of his new design along with a few other things and ran out of my office and right into a solid wall causing me to drop everything in my hands.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I rushed out. I didn't look to see who I ran into. I was late enough as it was and that was just one thing slowing me down. I reached for my things when a rough hand landed on mine as I grabbed my packet of pens.

"Sorry, miss." I stilled at Chase's voice, staring down at his hand on top of mine. My heart leaped in my chest and that southern accent went right through me. I stood up quickly holding all of my stuff to my chest as my blue eyes met his brown ones. He gave me a slow smile, one that started at the corner of his mouth and ended in a blinding grin.

I couldn't breathe.

"Sadie?" Chase cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrow at me. "I haven't seen you since..." He trailed off, both of us knowing exactly when we last saw each other, "in forever," he said instead. "How are you?" My mind flashed back to that one summer we spent every single day together off and on the track. He was the reason why I wanted to sing, the reason why love songs were written. He was my first kiss, my first love. But that's exactly what they were; MY first kiss, MY first love. Because then I met Britney one night and then Chase became the reason why I wrote broke up songs, and songs about being an independent woman.

We barely spoke after that summer; barely became hardly and then never.

Well... there was this past July but _that_ doesn't count.

"Oh, hi." I glanced everywhere but at his stunning eyes. "I'm, uh, good." I swallowed.

"Working here now? Last I heard you were in Nashville."  
"Didn't work out how I planned." He glanced down at the floor, chuckled and gave me a look. What's so funny?! I wanted to yank my pens out of his hands and run away.

"Guess that means I'll be seeing more of ya then, won't I?" Why is his smile so adorable?

"Apparently." I held my hand out hoping he got the hint, he shook his head with a light laugh and handed me my stuff. "Got a meeting with Kasey." I told him, not like I had to.

"Can't keep Kahne waiting." He stepped out of my way, and bit his lip, "It was nice seeing you again, Sadie Mae." I froze at the nickname. One I haven't heard in years. It made me yearn for those warm summer nights again. I walked away from him, not bothering to say anything to him because I couldn't trust my voice.

I waltzed into Kasey's office, not bothering to knock and quickly shut the door behind me.

He gave me one look and laughed, "I see you met Chase." I sunk into the chair across from his desk wishing I could disappear. I knew my cheeks were crimson red and there was no escaping the fact that yeah, no matter how much I despised him, I really, really didn't.   


	3. Make a Wish

* * *

* * *

 

_**June 2013** _

_"I can't believe how many there are tonight!" I snuggled closer to Chase, wrapped up in a blanket in the back of his truck. It was a relative cold summer night, but it was perfect. It was just us two nestled down by the river beside an open field watching a meteor shower. I had no idea what time it was, but with Chase? Time didn't matter._

_I pointed towards the sky, right when a star fell. "Make a wish," I whispered and closed my eyes tightly._

_"What did you wish for?" Chase asked tentatively._

_"That this night would never end." We held no secrets between us, and it was the truth. "You?"_

_I felt him shift beside me, his hand reaching mine in the darkness, curling our fingers together, "this." He placed his free hand on my chin and turned my head towards him._

_My breath caught in my throat at the intense way he held my gaze, the stars shining above completely lost to his beauty. He leaned in; and ever so slowly pressed his lips against mine. My heart flew out of my chest, his lips so soft against mine._

******

"Sadie? Earth to Sadie!" I blinked my eyes up at Kasey who was waving his hand in front of my face. "Where did you just go?" To a place I never want to revisit.

"Sorry, just having a bad day." Kasey's eyes softened when he heard the sadness in my voice.

"You know I'm like big brother to you, right? So you can tell me if something's bothering you." After that blissful summer with Chase, and how it ended badly, I started spending more time here at the shop. You'd think that I would have gotten away from racing then, but strangely enough, I got closer. That was also the year Kasey joined the 5 team and since then, he's been my older brother in the sense that he'd do anything to make sure I was okay. He doesn't know about my history with Chase, and it's going to stay like that.

"I know," I sighed, "I just need a getaway, that's all."

"Because your getaway to Nashville wasn't enough?" I shot him an evil glare and he held his hands up in surrender.

"Too soon I see," he paused, looking down at the design of his website from the corner of his desk and then back up at me. "Did you design all of this yourself?" I nodded yes, "even the pictures?"

"Yeah, why, are they bad?" Please don't tell me I spent hours upon hours in Photoshop for nothing.

"No, they're great, in fact..." He quickly went to his phone and pressed a button, before I knew it, the familiar voice of Jenna rang through his office. "Jenna! I need a media pass for Sadie, and accommodations for her this weekend at Darlington."

"What are you--?!" Kasey held his hand up cutting me off.

"Also make sure she's gets everything. The whole ordeal. She's officially on the 5 team with full privileges." Full privileges? As in I could go anywhere I want within the race track, pit road, the hauler, garage, and media center? Kasey hung up the phone without a word from Jenna and I knew she was going to be pissed that I was joining the team. She's been wanting what I just got for a long time now, but for all of the wrong reasons. Which brings me back to me.

"What was that about?"

"I want you to document the whole race weekend from my viewpoint, and place it on the website. I think it would be great to give the fans what they can't normally see. So I want you to shadow me. From the moment I take off for the track, from the time I come back home.

"But what about your PR person? Isn't that her job?" I rolled my eyes when I said her, I can't stand Stacy, she's snobby and thinks everyone is beneath her. Kasey smiled, but not in the eyes crinkling way, but how he was up to no good. He reached for his phone again and before I could stop him, he had Stacy on the line.

"Stacy, I talked to Chase earlier this morning and he said he's good to go."

"Really?" I heard an excitement in her voice that I didn't like.

"It's only for this weekend."

"Okay! I think I can handle both of ya'll."

"Actually, about that... Mr. Hendrick thinks it's wise for his daughter to dip her toes in the public relations department."

"Oh, does he now?"

He ignored that little jab and continued on. "Please give Sadie everything she'll need to cover all of my stuff for this upcoming weekend."

"Does Princess need anything else?" I really, _really_ hate her.

"I don't know," Kasey cocked his head towards me, "need anything else princess?"

"No, I'm good!" The sound of a phone hanging up filled the air and both of us laughed. "I don't know how you can stand her, she's such a bitch."

"If you can keep up this weekend, this will give me the initiative to fire her. It's long overdue."

I spent the rest of the morning locked up in Kasey's office going over everything that will happen this weekend and what to expect. We decided to take social media to the next step; more tweets, more videos, even on the spot Q&A's for long time fans. I was really looking forward to getting away, and for once, my future looked promising.

After meeting with Stacy, her not even giving me a glance as she gave me all of Kasey's things (more stuff than I realized!) I made my way over to the gift shop. If I were to act the part this weekend, I had to show it. You'd think growing up with my dad being who he is, I'd have every shirt for every driver, but I don't. The last racing shirt I owned belongs to someone I don't even want to name.

Someone, who was standing right at the entrance taking a photo with a fan. I dropped my arms to my side feeling suddenly sick. I turned on my heel, but I knew it was too late. I could hear Chase calling my name.

"Sadie, wait up!" I only walked faster, but his too long legs made it easy for him to walk into step with me.

I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to him. "Is it always going to be like this?" I wondered out loud.

"Like what?" The confused look on his face shouldn't be so cute.

"Doesn't matter, is there something I can help you with?" He ran his hand through his hair and bit his lip. He always does this when he wants to say something but won't. The fact that I still remembered this frustrated me. "Nevermind." I briskly walked away from him, but he was quicker than I, grabbing my arm and spinning me around.

My hands shot up to stop me from falling, but I landed safe and secure in his arms. A safe haven, home away from home. I pushed myself away from him, hurt and anger bubbling within. "Don't be like this, Chase," I pleaded.

"I miss -"

"Don't even say it," I cut him off, "you have no right to say you miss me." He doesn't. He was the one that walked out of my life, not the other way around.

"Sadie, I'm--" At that moment, Jenna came running out of the nearby building yelling Chase's name and asking if he's ready to go.

"You don't want to be late for your date," I spat, "maybe if you ask nicely, she'll put out." The knot in my stomach got tighter, and the stunned look on his face only made me want to throw up.

I turned my back on him, my name falling softly from his lips but I kept walking way and praying desperately no one saw the tears streaming down my face. 

 


	4. Looking at Stars

* * *

* * *

 

**March 2015  
**

 

_"Are you sure about this, Chase? This doesn't look like the right place."_ _  
_

_"Positive, Blaney, according to her Twitter this is where she's performing tonight."_ _  
_

_"Wait," Ryan stopped us in the middle of the rundown section of Nashville, the streetlights flickered and there was nobody in sight. I could see the sign for Bottom's Up down the street hanging off its hinges and the smell of stale beer filled the air. I wouldn't even come here during the day. It's just... I overheard a conversation about Sadie and how she's barely getting by living in Nashville, so I had to check for myself that she was okay. "You got this information from Twitter? And not from her?"_

_"If I would have told you that before we left would you have came?" Ryan just gave me this aspirated look that told me he thought I was crazy. "I just have to make sure she's okay," I gave in._

_"That's what phones were invented for, ya know, to call... to text!" I never told him the real reason why we broke up and how a phone conversation could never happen._

_"C'mon, you owe me." Ryan just rolled his eyes and continued down the deserted sidewalk towards the bar._

_Surprisingly, it wasn't so bad. The bar set up a stage outside on their patio which made it easier for me to hide out in the shadows. I pulled my ballcap down hoping it would hide my mess of curls. Sadie always told me she could find me in a crowd so easily because I could never tame them. I just hope she was wrong._

_"Hi, I'm Sadie Mae, and I'll be singing a few songs for ya'll tonight." I smiled at the use of her nickname I gave her. She hates her middle name Anne, and even worse, her last name, Hendrick. She wanted no association with her father's name if she could help it._

_"My first song is called 'Looking at Stars'. I wrote it after spending the night with the first boy I ever fell in love with."_

 

The night is young and so are we, so you what you say

We go and see it all for ourselves?

Yeah, yeah

There's a spot I know down the road we can go

Only me and you and no one else

Yeah, yeah

I ain't looking for a crowd  
Another night on the town

I want a one way ticket where the creaking crickets

Are the only sound

So baby, pick me up, I'll be in the drive

Take me where the moon's hanging in the sky

We can park it by the river, get out and throw the tailgate down down down

You can steal a kiss, maybe even two

Only the track and the tree's gonna see what we do

All I wanna be is wrapped in your arms, laying in the dark,

Looking at stars

We can rename constellations while we're making wishes

Don't it make you feel so small?

Yeah, yeah

We can talk about forever for a minute, maybe never,

Just kiss and say nothing at all

Yeah, yeah

 

Baby, hurry up and get here

So we can disappear

The clouds are breaking, don't keep me waiting

Never seeing a night this clear

 

So baby, pick me up, I'll be in the drive

Take me where the moon's hanging in the sky

We can park it by the river, get out and throw the tailgate down down down

You can steal a kiss, maybe even two

Only the track and the tree's gonna see what we do

All I wanna be is wrapped in your arms, laying in the dark,

Looking at stars

I ain't looking for a crowd

Another night on the town

I want a one way ticket where the creaking crickets

Are the only sound

So baby, pick me up, I'll be in the drive

Take me where the moon's hanging in the sky

We can park it by the river, get out and throw the tailgate down down down

You can steal a kiss, maybe even two

Only the track and the tree's gonna see what we do

All I wanna be is wrapped in your arms, laying in the dark,

Looking at stars

Oh, yeah

Oh, yeah

Just looking at stars

 

_I stood still, chills running up my spine as she began to sing the song. I remember that night vividly; our first kiss, the first night we spent together - which was a mistake on my part. We both fell asleep and my cell phone died before the alarm went off to get her home before her parents woke up. I thought for sure she would have been banned from seeing me after that, but she showed up at my race the next day with a secret smile on her face._

_After that night, I never wanted to stop kissing her, and to this day, I still wanted to._

_The small crowd cheered and the smile on her face was good enough for me to know that she was okay. "Let's go, Blaney."_ _  
_ _"You're not going to talk to her?" I looked at her, and I swear she could see me standing here. She stuttered playing her guitar, her mouth opening and closing like she was trying to say something but couldn't - and her blue eyes locking with mine in an instant before she closed them. When she opened them again, I wouldn't be here._

_It was better that way._


	5. Suitcases & Iced Coffee

* * *

* * *

"Don't you look all sunshine and daisies this morning." I narrowed my eyes at Kasey as he made his way towards me carrying a venti iced coffee that hopefully had my name on it.

"The sun isn't up, therefore I'm not." He just laughed and handed me the coffee. I moaned a thanks after taking a sip. "I owe you so much." Kasey grabbed my suitcase that I had beside my trunk. We met at the race shop so I could park my car and drive with him down to Darlington, that way it would be easy for me to get into the restricted areas since all of my hot passes are waiting for me at the track - per NASCAR's order.

"Good, remember that." He looked over towards the entrance of the parking lot when lights from another vehicle flashed over us. "Because there's a slight change in plans." I watched as Kasey waved to whoever pulled up besides us and froze when my brain finally registered what was going on.

Chase was hanging out of the window of a truck identical to Kasey's and hesitantly gave me a smile. "Good morning," he offered, but all I could do was stare while trying to focus on the way the bitter sweet liquid tastes on my tongue and not the way Chase's sleepy voice stirs something deep within.

"Sorry for the confusion, Chase," I heard Kasey say, "I got the phone call late last night and haven't had time to fill Sadie in here, I hope you don't mind?" By that time Kasey made his way towards the back of Chase's pickup and put _my_ suitcase in _his_ truck.

"What's going on?" I finally offered, but the boys just ignored me.

"Nah, I have backup." Chase held up a cup carrier with two more iced coffees and Kasey raised his eyebrow up at him in question. I groaned at how Chase remembered I can't function without coffee in the morning.

"How do you?"

"Ready?" The boys both talked at the same time and _finally_ Kasey shed some light on the situation.

"You're playing PR for Chase. I gotta go, I'm late with picking up the others." Kasey got into his truck after saying goodbye to Chase and headed off, leaving me completely speechless and dumbfounded.

This cannot be happening.

I wanted to turn around and run towards my car - run from the idea that I was going to spend the next 2 hours alone... _with him_. But I decided to take the high road and climb into the cab of his truck, which was a huge mistake because it smelled just like all those summer nights we used to spend together. "I hope you still take your coffee with an extra shot, two pumps peppermint with creamer."  
"And no sugar" we both said together. He laughed, catching my eye and biting that damn lip of his.

I felt myself being pulled to him by some invisible force, his eyes darting from mine down to my lips and back to my eyes before he tore them away to look straight ahead. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and fell back against the seat as he started the truck.

"Yeah, so," he said breaking the silence after a while, "Mr. H. called Kasey late last night." He never refers my dad as 'your dad' and always Mr. H. I hated it. "I guess he was explaining to Kasey that you shouldn't be thrown head first into a busy schedule like with what Kasey has and instead be paired up with me where I'm only needed here and there. Plus it's my last Cup race."

"Of course he said that. Can't trust his little girl to do anything right, can he?"

"I only found out when I woke up this morning." He ignored my comment but I could tell by the dim lighting from the dash his knuckles were white on the steering wheel. "It was too late to see if my regular guy could cover on such short notice."

"Wait, was someone else going to do this?" It didn't make sense - none of this did.

"Yeahhh," he drugged out, "Mark was going to cover both races for me, but his wife is about to give birth at any second so I told him not to come. Jenna then volunteered for the job."

"Of course she did," I muttered.

"But as of this morning," he continued, ignoring my comment. "Well, I guess last night, she no longer works for the company," he shrugged.

"Fired your girlfriend, already?" I didn't mean to sound so bitter, but it came out like that.

"She's not my girlfriend, Sadie," he sighed, "and we didn't even go out for lunch on Monday, either."

"Might want to tell her that, pretty sure she already picked out her wedding dress."

"Why are you being like this, Sadie?" I crossed my arms and tried my best to sink back into the seat and disappeared.

I didn't answer him.   

 


	6. Shattered Heart

* * *

* * *

 

**May 2014**

  
_"Chase!" I ran towards victory lane, pushing people out of my way and trying my best not to slip and fall on the mud everywhere. It was rare that he even ran a dirt race, but this was the first time he ever won. "Chase!" I pushed past the race crew and came to a sudden stop. Chase was standing by his car, his arms around the waist of some blonde that had her hands on his cheeks, their foreheads close together._ __  
__  
_I felt sick to my stomach, and my world suddenly became upside down._ __  
__  
_I wanted to disappear, to run away, to be anywhere but here. My vision became blurry and I could no longer hear the cheers for Chase, just the loud pounding of my heart in my ears._ __  
__  
_His head turned in my direction when someone called his name from behind me. Our eyes locked and I could see the panic in them as he pushed her away quickly. But it was too late. The damage was already done._ __  
_  
_ _I knew then falling for him was the biggest mistake of my life._

_****** _

  
Darlington was a small town with a rich history when it came to racing, and it showed while driving through the streets to the track. This was one of my favorite tracks and I always begged dad to let me come along with him here when I was younger. He'd let me wander around by myself because the track was seated in the middle of nowhere.  
  
So when we pulled up to the tunnel to go into the track, a sinking feeling came over me that this place was no longer what it used to be, just like the man sitting beside me. I glanced over at him for the first time since we left Charlotte and took in the things that have changed over the years.  
  
He was no longer the cute little boy down the street with the chubby cheeks, he was now a young man who had defined jawline covered in stubble. His voice was so much deeper, his hands more coarser with working on cars over the years. The worry line between his brow was new and I wanted to reach out and rub it away.   
  
He still sang along to the radio under his breath and still had road rage.  
  
Some things never changed, but still, it was like I was sitting next to a stranger who I knew every single thing about them, but yet nothing at all.   
  
Chase parked his truck next to his RV but made no move to get out. "What happened to us, Sadie Mae?" He made a reach for my hand, but I moved it away. I swallowed thickly, trying my best to hold back tears and thinking of a million things to say to him, but I couldn't form a single word to say.

He took the silence differently than what I intended it to be. "Fine. Nevermind. Forget I even asked." He got out of the truck and slammed the door.

It was going to be one long weekend. 

 

 


	7. Downpour

* * *

* * *

 

**November 2014** _  
_

_"Sweetie, I'm so glad you made it!" Chase's mom engulfed me in a tight hug, her warm smile causing my heart to tighten in my chest. "I knew Chase was being stupid, so glad you two are back together." I opened my mouth to say no, we weren't, and to tell her that we haven't spoken in months._

_"Yeah," I heard myself say instead and excused myself to place the gift I bought Chase on a table along with his other birthday presents. It was stupid really, just an old hat from a racetrack that no longer existed but insisted that he owned._

_I disappeared into the crowd that came for his 18th birthday, wondering when it was too soon to leave when my decision was made for me. Chase stood by a tree in the backyard, a string of lights wrapped completely around it lightening him from above._

_And he was kissing... her._

_Up to this moment I thought I was okay - okay with not talking to him, okay with not being with him, but truth be told, I wasn't._

_I pushed back the tears that threatened to spill and quickly left the party without anyone noticing._

******

It was unnecessarily cold here in Darlington, like fall decided to make its presences known. The clouds hung low and with each passing minute, the sky got darker and darker. "Just a few more laps and then bring her in." I stood on top of Chase's hauler during Cup practice and listened in between him and Kasey on the headset. It used to be one of my favorite things to do when I was little before it was deemed "uncool".

  
I climb down the ladder in time for Chase to pull into the garage and couldn't help but watch him climb out of his car and immediately debriefed with his race team. The passion he has for the sport shown and I'd be lying if I wasn't turned on by it.

"Like what you see?" I was torn from my thoughts and was met with blue eyes.

"No." I pushed past Kasey and went into the hauler to get my things, Chase has an appearance in town tonight. I could tell Kasey was hot on my heels so I turned around to tell him to go away but was instead face to face with Chase, his lip caught between his teeth and his eyes boring into mine.

My breath hitched; my heart rate picked up and I swallowed down the desire to lean up on my tippy toes and give him a kiss.

I blinked quickly, pulling myself out of his hypnotic gaze. "Ready in 10?" I said, trying my best to stay professional.

"I'm actually done now, was wondering if you wanted to ride back to my RV with me? We can leave from there." _No._ Is what I should say. No, because I don't want to spend any time with you in fear that the present would replace the hurt in my past. But when it came to Chase Elliott, I wasn't strong enough to stay away.

"Yeah, but only if I drive." He groaned, but stayed silent as he followed me to the golf cart.

******

"Sadie, what are you doing?"

"Nothing!"

"Clearly." I gave Chase a look that told him to piss off but he just ignored it and pushed me out of the drivers seat. I drove us to the gate of the drivers RV lot but then the cart just stopped on us and of course it's my fault.

I stood with my arms crossed and waited for Chase to do whatever he was going to do to fix it. But no amounts of turning it off and on and pushing the brake and gas pedal down would do a thing.

"I'm waiting," I said happily. He knew what I was implying, that I was right in the fact that this golf cart just broke down on us and it wasn't my fault.

"Stop gloating and come on." Chase's long legs walked past me quickly but I could see the smile he was hiding. It only made me smile bigger.

Just as we passed the gate, I felt a huge raindrop fall on the back of my neck. I looked up in time to see the sky open and pour down on us. I left out a huge squeal and cursed at the fact his RV was still forever away, but my feet picked up the pace and I started to run. Only for Chase to grab my hand and pull me off to the side.

My back landed hard against a trailer that had a small awning that barely covered us from the rain. His arms landed on either side of my head, his body flushed against mine. He moved back quickly before I could register how close he was, and then he laughed. "We both look like drowned rats"

"At least I'm not the one in a giant onesie." I bit my lip holding back my grin and he just shook his head.

"Hey now, if I remember correctly, you said I look hot in my firesuit." Just then, a flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a loud crack of thunder. My smile fell from my face and was replaced with fear.

I was deathly afraid of thunderstorms.

Chase saw the panic begin to rise in my eyes and quickly pulled me into him, his arms wrapping tightly around me. "It will be okay," he cooed, "I got you." I instantly felt safe in his arms, the thunderous roar of the storm surrounding us fading into the background as all I could hear was Chase's heartbeat loudly in my ear.

And then he placed his hand underneath my chin, lifting it up so I could see him. His eyes were soft, like all he cared about was making sure I was safe, and then he slowly and surely pressed his lips to mine.


	8. Raging Battle

* * *

* * *

I couldn't even begin to tell you how perfect everything in my life felt like at this exact moment. How for the first time in years, I was able to breathe and stand on sturdy ground, never once wondering how things were going to pan out. Because that's how I felt right now, secured in Chase's arms while he kissed me.

Out of all of our kisses, the firsts, the stolen, the breathless ones... This, this felt so much _more._ Like he was expressing unspoken thoughts, like the months that led to us fading away from each other was just a figment of our imaginations.

But it wasn't, and it scared me to think of how easy it was to fall back into his embrace, like the safe haven he was.

I felt betrayal seep into my heart and instantly pulled away from Chase. "You don't have the right to kiss me like that." It came out as a whisper, and I hated the way he cupped my cheek and leaned back in, my lips parting instantly to allow his tongue to caress mine.

******

_**December 2014** _

_"Merry Christmas, Sadie." I was sitting in my favorite chair on the balcony of my bedroom when Chase hoovered just inside of my room. Every year my parents throw this ridiculous Christmas party and invites all of the drivers, crew members and their loved ones to our house. I was so over it being Christmas even though it was a few weeks away._

_And I should have known that Chase would be there, my father's prodigal son. I haven't seen him since his disaster of a birthday party last month._

_"Thank you for the hat," I nodded my head instead of looking at him._

_I just couldn't._

_Seeing the reason for my broken heart standing in my bedroom wasn't how I wanted to spend my evening. I would honestly just love it if he would never walk into my life again. It would save me from so much heartache._

_"I bought you something." Chase produced a small gift from behind his back and placed it on the stand next to my coffee mug._

_"I don't want it." I got up and picked up the box, shocked but not at how light it was, probably some gift card his mom picked up, and pressed it to his chest, pushing him all the way through my bedroom and to the door._

_"Sadie," he pleaded, trying to take my hand in his._

_"Since you no longer want me in your life, there's no reason for you to be in mine. So, please, leave." I pushed him into the hallway, closed my door and slumped onto the floor. Telling Chase to leave was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. But how he treated me over the past few months by acting like I never existed hurted more that I'd ever imagined._

_****** _

Just as fast as the storm came, it ended just as quickly. But the storm in my heart continued to wage on. I was so mad at him because it wasn't right for him to kiss me right now. Not with how he pulled away from me when I bared my heart to him and all I got in return was silence.

"No," I pushed Chase away, "it's not right." I turned on my back on him and ran.

"Sadie!" My feet carried me to the far end of the driver's lot and came to a halt right in front of his RV, there was nowhere to escape to.

Chase walked up to me slowly, his hands twisting together as he bit that damn lip of his nervously. "I'm sorry," he tried but I just turned from him, wanting nothing more to get into some dry clothes and leave - _why is my stuff with his again?!_

"Nothing you will say or do will justify why you just kissed me."

"I'm sorry," it came out as a plea more than an apology. I didn't answer him but waited patiently for him to unlock his RV. He stepped aside so I could enter first, but once the door closed and locked behind us, I felt the storm that's been brewing in my heart start to pour, and there was no mistaking the tears streaming down my face. 


	9. Defy Gravity

* * *

* * *

**December 2014**

_"Sadie, honey, there's another present here for you." I looked up to my mom who was holding out her arm, and in her hand was a small box - the same one that Chase tried to give me last week. I took it from her and disappeared to my room. I felt like I was holding the world in my hands, and to be honest, I was too scared to open it._

_Why would Chase even get me a present? He's made it clear he doesn't want me in his life so why should I bother with this?_ __  
_  
_ _I sat on the edge of my bed, looking out my window. It was rare for it to snow in the south on Christmas, but it's currently doing that and as much as I've always wanted a white Christmas, it just made me feel hopeless._

_What has my life come to? Me going to college only to end up at some office job doing work I didn't even study for, all the while I try and mend my broken heart?_

_I ripped the perfect bow off the box, teared at the paper and opened the lid. A small piece of paper was folded neatly inside._

Everyone deserves the chance to fly - so follow your dreams

Love, Chase

_I hesitantly pulled back the folded cloth unsure of what I would find, but once I did, I felt my life suddenly fall into place._

_Inside were picks, guitar picks to be exact, at least a dozen of them. But they weren't your everyday go to the store and buy the generic ones - these were hand cut, imprinted with my initials and there was no mistaking they came from one of Chase's cars._

_I dumped them all out on my bed, trying to figure out which car these came from when I saw another note._

Defy gravity, Sadie xx

_I jumped off my bed in a rush, running towards my closet and pulling out my suitcase. This was the incentive I needed to get out. Chase was no longer a valid reason for me to be here, school wasn't even a good enough excuse anymore._

_And what did it for me, wasn't the guitar picks - it was the lyrics, the ones I used to sing underneath my breath because Chase didn't understand my love of Broadway shows when I'm a country girl at heart._

_I quickly packed everything I needed and was amazed at how little time it took. I placed my suitcase and guitar by my bedroom door knowing this time tomorrow night I'll be driving to Nashville, chasing my dream of becoming a country star, and no one is going to stop me._

_****** _

Chase was quiet following me into his RV, and I was grateful for it. My mind was all over the place and I couldn't stop crying.

It wasn't fair that he was kissing me again, because all it did was dig up my feelings for him that I've buried a long time ago. It just made me confused because I thought _he_ was the one that didn't want our relationship to happen.

I quietly wiped my tears away, grabbed my suitcase and locking myself in the bathroom. I knew we had to be at his signing in an hour so I quickly got rid of my wet clothes and got into dry ones, immediately feeling better.

I opened my toiletry bag and froze.

"Oh no."  


	10. Temporary Fix

* * *

* * *

 

**_July 2015_ ** __  
  


_"I'll be right back, okay? Gonna get another beer." I winked at my best friend, getting up from where I was laying in the sun at my parents home. They were in Daytona for the 4th of July weekend and I invited a few friends over. That wink was for her to know I was going to disappear for a while so she could make a move on the guy she's been crushing on._

_The party was perfect. BBQ on the grill, Eric Church blasting from the sound system and the sun was brighter than it was in Florida at this time. Last I checked the race today was delayed._

_"Chase! What're you doing here man?" My head snapped up from where I was leaning into an ice cooler to see one of my friends greet someone I haven't seen in a very, very long time._

_Chase Elliott._

_"Oh, just dropping something off for Mr. H. I didn't expect to see a party here though!"_

_"Yeah, totally last minute. Sadie got back in town this past weekend." I could see the color drain from Chase's face like he didn't expect me to be here, and that alone made me feel like crap._

_"Where?" Jason turned his head to the side and found me staring at them. He motioned to Chase where I was and then our eyes met._

_The boy I once knew was now a man; the sun kissed his skin and the stubble on his face was easily a beard. He's changed so much since I last saw him at Christmas._

_He quickly looked away, "well, I better get going, it was nice to see you again." He turned away from Jason and before I knew it, I was running after him._

_"Chase, wait!" I caught up to him inside the kitchen, the loud music was now muffled with the door closed and all I could hear was my beating heart. "I'll, um, I'll tell my dad you stopped by?" I tried. I was so nervous to speak to him._

_"Yeah," he grabbed the back of his neck, not looking at me, "My dad wanted me to drop off a few things. I left them in his office. I better get going. It was nice seeing you again." Chase mumbled and disappeared out of my kitchen._

_I slouched against the counter, my hair falling in my face as I tried to calm down my beating heart. How was it impossible to speak to someone I once knew so well?_

_"Your tattoo." I gasped when I felt familiar fingers on my skin tracing the bird tattoo I have on my shoulder blade. I looked up to see Chase there, his eyes dark and curious. "Is this?" I closed my eyes and nodded yes, my skin breaking out in goosebumps as he whispered the words underneath the birds, written in his handwriting._

Everyone deserves the chance to fly.

_"I got it a week after I left," I suddenly found my voice, but it sounded so small to my ears._

_I gasped when I felt Chase's lips press against where his fingers just were. There was no reason for him to be kissing my skin, but I wasn't going to stop him._

_Chase continued to kiss along my shoulder until he walked around in front of me. "I came back to give you this, but then I saw your tattoo and it distracted me for a moment." He cocked his head to the side with a playful smile on his lips. Like the Chase I knew never changed but I could tell there was something dark and lustful in his brown eyes._

_We've never talked about what happened between us, he just let the cards fall into a heaping pile and never bother picking them up._

_"And what were you going to give me?"_

_"This." Chase took both of his hands and placed them on my cheeks, tilting my head just so and leaned in and kissed me._

_I wasn't prepared for that kiss, and I certainly wasn't prepared for my reaction._

_I grabbed a hold of Chase's collar, pulling him down so I could deepen the kiss. I licked at his lips until he opened his mouth, my tongue seeking his out desperately. Chase moaned, the sound going straight to my core._

_I needed to hear that sound again._

_Chase's hands let go of my face, skimming down my body until he got to my waist. He easily picked me up and sat me on the counter, never breaking the kiss._

_I licked and sucked on that lower lip of his, taking it into my mouth and letting it go with a loud pop. Chase leaned his forehead against mine, my legs going around his waist as I pulled him closer to me._

_I wanted him._

_Needed him._

_All of my senses were screaming Chase right now even though the voice in the back of my mind said no._

_"Chase," I moaned as he caught my lips again. I could feel him harden through the jeans he wore, which only made me squeeze my legs tighter against him._

_He took that opportunity and picked me up again, carrying me all the way until I felt my back hit my bed._

_Chase leaned over me, taking off his shirt before attacking my neck with his tongue._

_I ran my hands through his hair, tugging and directing him to where I wanted him to go. He placed open mouth kisses down my chest until he got to the fabric of my bikini top. "Off," he ordered. I leaned up and undid the ties, throwing the blue material where it would be long forgotten._

_Chase looked down my exposed breast, licking his lips before he took a taunt nipple into his mouth. "Fuck,"I whispered, the tingling sensation causing my hips to buckle up against his. Chase kissed my other nipple, licking it and nibbling it until a giggle left my lips._

_He hovered over me, the smile playing on his lips slowly disappeared into something that had my heart beating a bit faster. My eyes followed his tongue as he slowly licked his lips and bent his head down, placing open mouth kisses down my stomach until he reached the top of my bikini bottoms - a place where I so desperately needed him._

_In one swift move, he untied my bottoms and his tongue darted out to lick along my slit, "Chase," I moaned, my hands immediately going to his hair, long enough now to let me pull on it and hold him right over my clit where his tongue was being masterful at._

_"You taste so good, Sadie" he purred, "so fucking wet for me." I moaned, squeezing my legs shut against his head as the first wave of small orgasm spilled over my body. It was embarrassing at how quickly I came, but his tongue and "fuck!" Chase inserted a finger in me, curling to reach that spot that had my toes curling._

_Chase added another finger, slowly pulling them in and out as he continued to suck and lick at my clit, creating a delicious pace that had my hips rolling and his name falling from my lips like a mantra._

_"Fuck me, Chase, I need you." I gasp as another mini orgasm filtered throughout my body, just lingering a little longer than the last. Chase groaned, kissing my inner thigh as he climbed back up my body._

_I could taste my sweetness on Chase's lips as he attacked mine, which only made me even hungrier. Chase continued to kiss me, his teeth grazing along my neck as I went for his belt buckle._

_I quickly undid his button, unzipped and pulled his boxers down in one go. His hard cock bounced up on his lower stomach, curving slightly towards his belly button. Chase's tip already glistened with precome._

_I pushed Chase back down on the bed, taking off the rest of his pants and taking his dick in my hands. It was heavy, thick and so so hard. My mouth watered just looking at it._

_I looked up at Chase, locking my eyes with him as I licked his tip. Chase moaned, deep and loud as I slowly lowered my head down his cock until I felt him hit the back of my throat. "Sadie, shit." He gasp as I rolled my tongue against his crown, twisting and squeezing my hand against his base._

_Chase's hands reached out for me, "I'm not gonna last long if you keep doing that, Sadie." I smiled up at him, taking his cock into my mouth one more time and hummed. I could feel him twitch against me, precome spilling out onto my tongue. So delicious, so sweet._

_"Someone's been eating their fruit," I teased._

_Chase's eyes turned dark as he reached for my hips and threw me on my back. He settled in between my legs, lining his cock up to my entrance. I let out a deep breath as he pushed in, so slowly until he filled me up completely._

_I rolled my hips up against his, the need to be close to him overpowering me. He leaned over me, kissing my breast and up to my neck until he found my lips. Chase pulled out slowly, and repeated the process of pushing back in, capturing my mouth with his._

_"Faster," I moaned, his fat cock reaching a depth I've never felt before. Chase bit the side of my neck, his body falling onto mine. The added weight felt so fucking good. His hips moved faster, his cock going in and out impossibly fast._

_The sound of skin on skin and our moans echoed throughout my bedroom. The party downstairs long forgotten._

_I scratched his back when I felt his tip nudge against my g-spot. "Right there, Chase," I moaned, "you feel so fucking good baby." Chase licked the sensitive spot below my ear and moaned when I dug my heels into his ass so I could get as much as he was giving me._

_"Sadie," his breath came out in a rush, his hips stuttering against mine as he pushed up on his arms, fucking in to me as fast as he could._

_"Yes, baby, your cock feels so good." I held onto his hips his cock started to twitch inside of me and without warning, Chase hit the spot that triggered an intense orgasm._

_"Chase, fuck!" I arched my back as Chase continued to hit that spot, my body shaking with immense pleasure._

_"Sadie!" Chase stilled, his own orgasm spilling into me. I looked up at him, his eyes closed shut and his mouth hanging open and it was a sight that I never wanted to forget._

 


	11. Surprise

* * *

* * *

"Oh no." I stood still staring into my toiletry bag, noticing the unopened box of tampons that I bought a while ago, and the even smaller white box sitting beside it that I've been ignoring for just as long.

My mood swings.

My tiredness.

The uneasy sickness I get in the early morning no matter how many tums I pop in my mouth, I still get sick.

I've been ignoring the fact that I haven't gotten my period in a while, thinking it was just stress and me being hormones out of whack. In the past year, I lost the love of my life (even if he does stand outside this door) moved to Nashville, got a huge reality check when I realized I wasn't good enough to make it on my own, and now I'm at the last place I ever want to be at.

I reached blindly for that box and ripped it open. My heart was beating loudly in my chest and it took all I had not to shake while I followed the instructions.

I know I can't be, right? I mean, everyone skips a month or two.

Afterwards, I quickly continued what I came in here to do. Dry off, get dress and pretend like my life didn't hang in the balance.

5 minutes.

That's how long it takes.

I picked it up and held my breath.

"No," I stared at the little white stick in my hand, the prominent double pink lines looking right up at me. "No," I shook my head, "this can't be happening." I picked up the box, looking for the instructions to make sure that this couldn't be a possibility.

"Sadie? Are you okay in there?" Chase knocked on the door, his voice startling me so much I dropped everything on the floor.

"Um, yeah," I cleared my throat. "I'll be out in a minute!"

I picked up the stick and looked at myself in the mirror and down to my stomach. I gave a little smile as a small flutter went through my heart.

I'm pregnant.    


	12. Beautiful Soul

* * *

* * *

 

Chase drove us to a little NAPA Auto Parts store outside of Darlington. It was settled between a run down gas station and newly built Krispy Kreme Donuts that had my stomach rumbling the moment we got out of his truck.

I haven't spoken a word since I left that bathroom, my pregnancy test stuffed deep in my toiletry bag and that was stuffed even further in my suitcase. I couldn't bring myself to even look at Chase, and he? He allowed the silence whereas before he'd make a big fuss and wouldn't even drive off until we settled what was going on between us.

But he's not that Chase anymore I'm realizing.

He sits at a table, smiling and signing away as fans young and old alike walk up to him and tell him the same story of how they were fans of his father and wish him all of the same luck. I know deep down he doesn't like to be compared to his dad, just like how I don't like it when people find out who my dad is.

In that moment, it hit me that Chase was going to be a father himself. That not only my future would be changing, but his as well. That his legacy was going to be passed on to his son or daughter just like his father's legacy was.

The man in front of me was a stranger that I wanted to get acquainted with again, if not for me, then for the baby.

******

**Chase's POV**

I signed the last Herocard in my pile as a mother with three children, all wearing my shirts, came up to me smiling. She ushered them behind the table for a picture and each of them as shy as could be said they wanted to be just like me when they grew up. I told them to work hard and eat their veggies and no time they'll be where I am.

I caught Sadie's eye after they left, and the smile on her face had me staring at her for an extra breath before she blinked my way and caught me looking at her. I gave her a small smile and saw blush rise up on her cheeks. It's been awhile since I've seen her blush, let alone smile.

I know I'm the reason behind her frown, the reason behind her hesitation when it comes to being around me. I can't blame her. I'm the reason why she ran last year. But how can I tell her that because of the mess I put her through is because I'm afraid to fall in love?

Because I am, well, I _was._

"Where are you going?" I turned down a road that led us to another dirt road, one away from the racetrack. "I promised I'd go out to dinner with Kasey and his girlfriend before I went back to the hotel for the night."

I slowed down my truck and finally came to a stop on top of a hill. My dad used to take me here to get away from the track when I was younger so I could ride my dirtbike. Now it was just a grassy hill surrounding in the sudden darkness. In the distance you could see the racetrack lit up.

"I know, I already told Kasey I'm kidnapping you for dinner." She didn't say anything, but looked out the window and squeezed her phone in her hand. The damage I've caused this beautiful soul was heartbreaking and I vow from this day forward, I will change, and make everything right again. 


	13. Second Chance

* * *

* * *

"Chase, I don't think this is a good idea." I looked at Sadie Mae, her dark auburn hair twisting in long curls, her freckles prominent on her nose because of the summer sun. The fire that blazed behind her blue eyes was now dimmed and the shine there was gone.

"Humor me?" I gave her the biggest smile I could muster and relished when she started to consider it. "I got you something, I saw you eyeballing it while at the signing so I had someone go buy it for you." She gave me a weird look as I leaned over the backseat and reached for the white box I had hidden.

I held it out to her and she laughed, "donuts?"

"I saw how you were staring at it, like you haven't had sweets in forever. I know you Sadie Mae." She took the box from me and opened it.

As she reached for one, she sighed in her seat and looked at me with a sadness I never wanted to see again. "I wish you'd stop calling me that." Her eyes began to swim in an ocean of water, "it hurts too much."

My heart broke and I knew in this moment that one small donut couldn't change the past.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

She shrugged her shoulders and wrapped her arms tightly around her stomach, "please take me back." I put my truck in gear and drove back to the racetrack.

******   
  


"At least let me carry your stuff to your room?" The hotel Sadie was staying in was nice, but the elevator was broken and she was on the third floor. "It's the least I could do." She didn't answer me but turned on her heel and I followed her.

The long corridor reminded me of a time long ago where my parents would rent a room far away from home when I was racing dirt and Sadie would surprise me in the middle of the night. It was reckless and wild. We'd get into so much trouble but it was worth it, all of it.

Then one morning I woke up and looked down at Sadie sleeping in my arms and I saw a future there. One of her walking down the aisle in pristine white, her laying in a bed with her pinkie in the hand of our newborn baby, and then one of her looking at me with so much love and adoration it took me a second to realize that this image wasn't a vision, but reality.

It scared me to death and from that day forward I pulled away because I wasn't ready for that.

Today I realized that no one is ready to fall in love because it just happens. And not everyone gets a second chance like I do.

"This is me." She pointed to the door and I handed over her suitcase.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow, okay?" She shook her head in agreement and opened her door. I watched as she walked in and started to close the door, but I shoved my hand out to stop her. "I know I sound like a broken record, but I'm sorry."

The door shut in my face, but not before I saw Sadie's shocked expression and suddenly, the door was opened again and she reached out for me. 

 


	14. Confession

* * *

* * *

 

The door slammed shut loudly behind me. Sadie held me close, her hands behind my head and holding my forehead against hers. "I need to know what you're sorry about."

"Everything," I whispered against her lips but never touching them. 

"Chase," she pleaded, the pain her voice had me confessing things in a rush.

"I'm sorry for everything, Sadie," I grabbed the back of her neck and tilted her head up so she could look me in the eyes. "I'm sorry that you woke up one day ready to face the future with me by your side, but I stood still not wanting to go with you. I'm sorry that I'm an utter idiot who thought that if I pulled away, you wouldn't love me any more. But then I saw the hurt and anger in your eyes when I did that, and I'm just a fool, Sadie." Tears started to fall from her eyes and I wiped them with my thumbs. "I'm a fool who woke up one day and realized that I'm hopelessly in love with you and it scared me so much and it ruined everything between us." Her breath hitched when I confessed that I loved her because I've never spoken those words to her.

"Chase," she tried, but I shook my head no.

"Fate gave me another chance, and I swear that if you'll have me, I'll fix this. I'll fix _us_. It's not fair what I did to you, and you shouldn't even forgive me. Let me earn your trust back. Let me show you how much I love you, because that hasn't changed after all these years. I love you Sadie, and I don't think I could ever stop."  
  
I could see the depth of Sadie's soul in her eyes, the never ending twist and turns of her thoughts evident on her face. I could tell she was searching for a sign in my eyes, but whatever sign that was, she found because soon enough she pressed her lips to mine, pulling our bodies flushed together.

I kissed her like she should have been kissed that morning when I woke up and realized I was in love with her. I kissed her with so much tenderness and adoration, she deserved the world and I wanted to give it to her.

She kicked off her shoes as I reached down and picked her up by the waist, her legs automatically wrapping around my waist. I laid her softly on the bed, never breaking our kiss as we settled into the sheets.

I wasn't going to let her go, and I knew that after this night, I had so much to prove to her. Sadie's lips grazed along my jawline bringing me back to the here and now.

When I wake up tomorrow morning with Sadie in my arms, I'm going to do everything I didn't do before, never let her go. 


	15. Revelation

* * *

* * *

 

I woke up to loud coughing, I padded in the darkness searching for the source, but I was alone in the bed. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as the coughing grew louder, the source of it coming from the bathroom where the light was bright under the door frame. "Sadie?" I knocked on the door, "are you okay?" I waited a second to see if she would answer me, but instead I heard a horrible noise and the next thing I knew she was throwing up.

I opened the door to a very pale Sadie hugging the toilet seat. In all the years that I've known her, I've never seen her so sick. "Babe, are you okay?" She cringed, holding onto her stomach as she flushed the toilet.

"I think it's just something I ate. I'll be fine." Sweat covered her brow and I could see her shaking.

"Sadie," I reached for her and easily pulled her up, "are you sure? Want me to get you anything? I should get you some crackers and ginger ale." I walked her over to the bed and tucked her back in.

"I'd like that." I kissed her forehead before turning to put my shoes on. "Chase?"

"Yeah?"  
  
"Can you get me some Advil? It's in my toiletry bag in the bathroom."

"Let me get you some crackers first." She nodded her head, closing her eyes.

I let myself out of the hotel room, grateful it was still too early for anyone to be in the halls. I got some crackers from the vending machine and a can of Canada Dry and headed back to the room. I could tell by the time I got back Sadie was asleep by the way her breathing has changed so I sat everything down on the nightstand and retrieved some pills.

I shut the door to the bathroom quietly, intending on using it myself but stilled when I opened her bag. My eyes didn't mean to wander, but they did and I felt as sick as Sadie looked.

A pregnancy stick sat right below the packets of Advil, and it didn't take me more than a few seconds to realize that she's pregnant.

My heart dropped as my mind began to race. Was it mine? Was it someone else's? I couldn't stomach the thought of it being someone else's and there was no way to know for sure who the father was without her telling me.

But why was she keeping this for me?

Anger flared within me, but I quickly pushed it away. If the test was here, it meant she did it sometime over the last 24 hours.

I felt like God was testing me for what I said to her last night. That now that I got her back, I wasn't going to let go. Now that she's pregnant, could I hold onto that promise?

I zipped her bag back up, not bothering grabbing the advil as a just in case. I didn't go back to sleep, but instead watched her as her eyes fluttered behind her closed eyelids and wondered what she was dreaming about.

The fact that I wasn't scared, or worried of what was going to happen made me realize that I couldn't let her go now. Not when there was a chance the baby could be mine or the father could be nonexistent. She deserved someone by her side no matter what, and I wanted to be that man.

I just hope that she wants me there as well. 


	16. Hesitation

* * *

* * *

**Sadie's POV**   
  


I felt like death when I woke up the next morning. My head was killing me, and the queasiness in my lower stomach would not subside. I felt horrible for waking Chase up last night knowing he had a long day ahead of him, but the way he made sure I was okay awoken something deep in my heart.

I fluttered my eyes open only to be met with a pair of rich chocolate ones. Chase smiled at me and I swear I felt butterfly wings fluttering in my tummy. "How are you feeling?" His voice was a whisper, but I could hear his genuine concern.

"Like death," I scrunched my nose up and held my stomach, afraid that any movement would make me sick again.

Chase laughed, leaning forward and kissed my nose. The small gesture reminded me of the old Chase again, and I couldn't help but think that I finally got him back.

Maybe I should test the waters with a truth bomb.

"Chase, we need to talk," his smile didn't falter like it would have, anyones would disappear at those words.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"I really hope you don't." I bit my lip, averting my eyes as I tried to think of how I was going to tell Chase that I was pregnant. In the end I realized I couldn't, and I was shocked that he could tell.

"Hey," he tilted my chin so I was looking at him, "I really mean it, I'm not going anywhere." Could he hear how fast my heart was beating at this very moment? Chase leaned in, his eyes flickering between my eyes and my lips like he was going to kiss me.

I gasp the moment his lips touched mine, so sweet, so tender, and still so new even though we've done this countless of times. His hand cupped my face, his thumb rubbing against my cheek as he deepened the kiss. I felt myself falling the moment his tongue captured mine, everything that I was worried about melted away at this moment and I never wanted it to stop.

Somewhere in the room, his phone started to go off. He groaned, breaking the kiss and leaning his forehead against mine, "Sadie?"

"Hmm?" His lips were on mine again, like he couldn't get enough, and honestly I couldn't either.

"Go out on a date with me?"

I broke the kiss, "what?"

Chase gave a sheepish grin and shrugged, "go out on a date with me." I gave him a 'you're crazy look' and he just laughed. "C'mon on, it will be fun... and we need to start over kinda. Let me be the man I never was for you." I lost my breath at those words. Saying he wasn't man enough was one thing, but owning up to it? "And we can talk at dinner. No interruptions. Just you and me."

I looked at his smile and thought about how I should tell him now that I'm pregnant, but on the other hand, he has a full day of racing ahead of him and it can wait. I'm not sure how he would take the news and I couldn't be the reason why he had a horrible race (even though he will be in a Cup car tomorrow, today is when it counts the most).

"Please?" My hesitation caused his smile to falter, so I pressed forward and kissed him.   
"Sounds perfect."

I just have to get through today and hopefully by the end of the night, he'll know. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

 


	17. Falling

* * *

* * *

 

I sat on top of Chase's pitbox during the race, updating his status on Twitter while listening in on Earl telling Chase where the leaders are running. The Nationwide race just started and already he was gaining ground.

I thought back to this morning while laying in bed with Chase. Could things be that easy? I want to believe that he's changed and willing to give us another chance, but a small part of me doubts him. I can't help but think that because it's happened before. I believe everyone deserves a second chance and I've never given him one, and so far? Things are going perfect.

He insisted that we stand together during prerace ceremonies. I was not having that, but then he grabbed my hand and twirled me around and kissed me on my nose. The gesture caught me off guard that it was too late move. I have no idea what prayer was said, or who sang the National Anthem. All I know was that my heart was beating a million miles per minute and I was acutely aware of how close Chase was to me.

His brown eyes shined with excitement when I wished him good luck and leaned in to give him a hug. He held me longer than I expected, his nose brushing against the crook of my neck and there was no denying the fact that I felt his lips press against my skin. When he pulled away, I took a sharp intake of breath because of the intensity of his eyes.

Chase Elliott has the pull strings of my heart and I'm falling faster than ever before.

**

"Stop smiling at me like that." I was in Kasey's RV getting ready for my date tonight with Chase. He's been smirking at me ever since I asked him if I could freshen up here instead of going back to the hotel.

"Just make sure I get the credit when you send out the wedding invites." I glared at him in the mirror and shook my head. Kasey still doesn't know the history between Chase and I and it's going to stay that way.

"Funny." I let the last piece of my hair fall from the curling iron into a nice ringlet and gave myself a once over.

I had on a cute white dress that hugged my body just right and stopped at my mid thigh. Add in my favorite pair of cowboy boots and I was ready to go. Just, when I stepped out into the living room area, 2 set of eyes landed on me, but all I could see was Chase and the brilliant side smile he was giving me.

My heart leaped in my chest and my lower abdominal did a funny swoop. I instantly grabbed my stomach and Chase ran to my side. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?" I looked into up into his concerned eyes and instantly my, no _our_ future flashed before my eyes.

Chase was there. He was there for me, and for our baby. That smile, his warm embrace and his love was endless. "Yeah, everything is perfect." Because for once, it was. 


	18. Turning Point

* * *

* * *

 

"Where are we going?" Chase drove us away from Darlington, down some back roads until civilization was long gone.

"Thought we could get out of the city for a bit." I raised my eyebrow up at him because what city? Darlington was just some small town in the middle of nowhere.

"Don't forget, Kasey knows I'm with you so you can't kidnap me or anything." Chase laughed, reaching over and interlocking our fingers together.

"I wouldn't have to kidnap you, you'd come willingly." I don't answer, and the smile etched on his face knows he's right.

The sun began to set, the golden blaze fading into reds and purples. It was so beautiful that I didn't even notice that Chase stopped until he opened the door. I looked around at our surroundings and we were in a middle of a field, no restaurant in sight. "Where are we?"

"Stay put for a second, please," he answered instead.

"Chase," he kissed whatever protest I was going to say right off my lips.

"I'll be a minute."

After 5 minutes of loud bangs and Chase blessing the Lord after an even louder noise, he opened my door and helped me out of his truck. "Close your eyes."

"Chase."

"Please, it's a surprise." His lower lip jutted out and how could I resist that?

Chase placed his hands over my eyes and led me towards the back of the truck. "Stay right here for one second." He kissed my cheek and disappeared a nanosecond later. "Okay, open them." I blinked open my eyes and gasped in surprise.

Chase recreated our first date. The bed of his truck was covered in blankets and pillows. Candles sat everywhere casting a low glow in the middle of the darkening field. A picnic basket sat on the gate of the truck and right next to that, was Chase holding a bouquet of wild daisies.

"Before you say anything, I want you to know that for this moment on, I will be by your side, no matter what. I will not run away when things get too serious, and in fact, I want that. I want to be the man you deserve to have by your side. To be there when you need a friend, a strong shoulder to cry on, someone to watch stupid romantic comedies with. Someone to roll the windows down and sing along to the songs on the radio at the top of my lungs no matter how off key I get." Chase sat the flowers down and walked over to where I stood, completely speechless. "I also want to more than just that," he cupped my face in his hand, tucking a piece of loose hair behind my ear. "I want to be able to take your breath away with just one kiss." He leaned in, brushing his lips against mine but never connecting. "I want to be the man you think about late at night when you can't sleep." His fingers trailed down the side of my neck, tracing my collar bone. My heart was beating erratically at this point and I was completely hypnotized. "I want to hear my name in a soft moan in the late night and then again in the early mornings because we can't get enough of each other. I want it all, Sadie. That is, if you want it too."

I was covered in goosebumps and shaking under Chase's touch. Not because it was getting chilly out, but because of the way he stared at me with those chocolate brown eyes. I know he said this the other night, but tonight the words just clicked with my soul and I knew this was our turning point.

Instead of answering him, I kissed Chase with all my might. I pulled him close to me, my fingers carding through his thick hair as my lips met his with a hungered passion. I pour all of my unspoken wishes and desires into the way my tongue searched his out. I could tell he smiling, but when a moan escaped from the back of my throat, Chase returned the kiss with just as much eagerness.

Chase lifted me off the ground, my legs wrapping around his waist as he carried me over to the gate of his truck, never once breaking the kiss.

"I love you so much, Sadie Mae," he whispered against my lips, "I've always had but was too scared to say it before." I pulled away from Chase, not wanting to ruin to the moment but I had to tell Chase before it was too late.

"Chase, I need to tell you something," I kept my voice strong and soft, trying not to hide at the fact that I was scared. Scared of him walking away, and most importantly, scared of his reaction.

"Anything."

"I'm pregnant."


	19. Promise

* * *

* * *

 

The words "I'm pregnant" hung in the air for what seemed like the longest time, but was only a matter of seconds. I watched Chase take in what I just said, but the reaction I was waiting for, never came. Instead, he said, "I know."

"How?" I demanded, suddenly angry with him

"This morning when I went to get you some pills, I saw the test in your bag."

"So all of this," I waved at the mock first date he sat up and then motioned between him and I, "and the stuff you've been saying was because you knew I was pregnant? If I wasn't would this all would have happened?" I tried to hop down but Chase wouldn't move. I was so angry at how foolish I was to believe he was doing this for us, and not because he knocked me up.

"Sadie, no, listen to me." He turned my chin so I looked him in the eyes. "I said everything before I knew you were pregnant, and I mean it. I'm sorry for the shit I put you through and I know words are just words until I put them into action. I really want us to start over, Sadie, and I've loved you from the first time I laid eyes on you. But then I found out you were pregnant and I knew that I couldn't mess this up, no matter if the baby is mine or not. I lost you once and I don't want to lose you again. I don't think I could survive if you left me for good."

I took a steady breath realizing what he said was right. He did say all those things before he knew about the baby, and now that he knows, he's still here. "Remind me again why you love me. I need to hear it." I need to hear it before I do something stupid and run away.

Chase touched the necklace I wore, a gift from a lifetime ago. I turned one of the guitar picks he gave me from his car and made a necklace out of it. Now he's touching it like it held our past and in a way it did.

"I remember the exact moment I laid eyes on you. We were at some function for your dad and this kid was beating everyone at go-karts. I thought they were letting them win because of how tiny you where. So I raced you and had my ass handed to me. Then you took off your helmet and gave me such a dazzling smile that I knew from that day forward I had to be in your life. You're a fireball, Sadie, you know what you want and you work hard for it."

"But also, I love how your blue eyes shine when you talk about something you're passionate about. How the summer sun makes the freckles on your nose more prominent. I love how you can sing better than anyone on the radio now and really wish you got the chance to show your talents when you left for Nashville." Chase broke eye contact with me and bit his lip like he was holding back something. "I, uh, was there."

"Where?"

"Nashville, for your one show. We were in Bristol and I dragged Blaney with me. I had to see you, to know that you were okay and not living on the streets. I was so worried and knew you wouldn't text or call me back if I tried." I remember that night vividly. I thought I saw Chase standing in the back of the small crowd, but I just played it off as my imagination because in a blink of an eye, he was gone.

"I'd wish you were there, every single night.

Chase took my hands in his, "I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise me you'll never let me go?"

"I promise."

"No matter what?"

"I promise, no matter what."


	20. Breathless

* * *

* * *

My back hit the wall hard right inside of the hotel room, Chase's strong arms holding me up as my legs were wrapped around his waist. The elevator doors to the hotel barely closed before we were on each other. The sexual tension between us has been building all evening, but Chase being the gentleman that he is didn't act on it while on our date, but then it got to be too much.

"Chase," I moaned when his lips grazed across my jaw, "bed." Chase hummed against my skin, walking us towards the bed and laid me down gently. He smiled down at me like he was seeing me for the first time. I lifted up my leg and he took off my boot, kissing the inside of my ankle as he took off the other one. I sat up, unzipping my dress from behind and letting the material fall to my waist so my white lacy bra just covering my tanned skin was on full display.

Chase began to undress, his long fingers unbuttoning his shirt as quickly has he can and threw it over his shoulders. His undershirt and pants came off next and when I wiggled out of my dress, I was met with dark eyes that raked over my entire body. "You're so beautiful, Sadie, how did I get so lucky?" I could feel myself blush and wanted to hide, but the smile he gave me was so loving that I reached out and kissed it off his lips.  
"Make love to me, Chase," I whispered. Chase nodded silently, crawling up onto the bed and spreading my legs.   
  
His full weight felt good on top of me; Chase's skin was lit a fire with every touch and the delicious moan that would escape his lips when I drugged my nails into his back caused me to ache between my legs.   
  
I dipped my hands unto his boxers, grabbing that amazing ass of his and pushing him towards my center. "Oh," I moaned, he was so hard, "I need you," I managed to get out between his kisses.  
  
Chase laughed, his fingers pulling down my bra straps and then he pulled us into a sitting position. His lips barely left mine as I threw my bra onto the floor to be long forgotten. When Chase broke the kiss, his lips encircled around my erect nipples. His tongue teased me, my head falling back as a shot of pleasure went straight down my spine.  
  
My hips began to rock again Chase's, I needed friction so badly. "If you keep doing that, I'm going to come." I pulled his head off of me and was rewarded with a loud groan. Chase loves getting his hair pulled and I completely forgot about it. I did it again, but Chase just smiled against my lips and dipped one hand between us and touched me.   
"Fuck," he breathed, "Sadie, you're so wet." I placed my head on his shoulder as he pushed the material of my panties to the side and began to finger me.  
  
I was completely lost to Chase by that point. His lips kissing up and down my chest as his fingers rubbed against my clit so slowly. I fell back onto the bed and watched Chase with lidded eyes as he removed his fingers and licked them. "Mmm, you taste so good."  
"Gonna make me come on your tongue?" I teased, hoping and praying he would eat me out because the last time he did, I was completely shattered afterwards.   
"Nah, I want you to come on my cock." I rolled my eyes at how he said it but quickly changed my tune when he leaned back on his heels and pulled down his briefs.  
  
Chase's cock was long and thick, and it curled to the left right below his belly bottom. I moaned as he took it in hands, stroking himself a few times. I always find it sexy when a man takes himself in his own hands, but when Chase does it? Fuck. His muscles tighten and he always bites on his bottom lip like he's holding back a loud moan.

I lifted my hips up, pulling off my underwear and then spreading my legs wide for Chase to settle in between. He stroked himself a few times before leaning over me and kissing me passionately.

And then he entered me so tantalizingly slow, inch by inch, until he bottomed out and let out a breathless gasp.

Chase interlocked our fingers together, bringing them the up onto either side of my head. Every inch of us was connected; his lips on my neck, his chest pressed up against mine, and his cock slowly going in and out of my wet pussy. I was completely alive and yet my soul was leaving this earth because Chase felt, so, so good. "Sadie," Chase moaned in my ear, his breath hitching as his hips started to move faster against mine.   
  
We rolled over so I was now on top of him. "I want you to ride me, Sadie, I want to watch you lose complete control." My clit twitched at his breathless command, but I did what I was told.   
  
I straddled Chase's hips, taking his cock into my hands, guiding it to my center and slowly sunk down on him. We both moaned when I was completely filled, so, fucking, full. "Chase," I gasp, my legs trembling at this new angle, "you feel incredible." He hummed in agreement, his fingers digging into my hips.  
  
I braced myself on his chest, rising off his cock until I felt his tip and slowly went back down. Each time, Chase's fingers got tighter, his breath coming out in sharp pants. My slow pace quickly spend up, my breathing matching his until we were both moaning with each movement.  
  
Chase's hands moved, cupping my breast and rolling his fingers against my nipples. That caused my hips to stutter, and instantly my orgasm was chasing after me. "Fuck, Chase," I was barely coherent, but he knew I was oh so close.  
"You feel so good, baby girl." Chase pushed my hair out of my face and when our eyes locked, I lost it.   
  
It was like a wave completely washing over me and pulling me under. All I felt was Chase and all I could see was him. My legs began to shake and I fell forward onto Chase's chest. Wave upon wave hit me, my orgasm so strong I clenched onto him so hard it set of his orgasm.  
  
Chase stilled as he spilled into me, his lips sucking on my neck as a deep groan vibrated his chest. He completely shattered beneath me and it caused another intense orgasm to ripped through me. "Chase!" I arched my back, losing myself to the feeling.   
  
After we were able to catch our breath and clean up, Chase pulled me close to him so we laid side by side. "I love you so much, Sadie, I hope you realize that.

I pushed his bangs off his forehead, traced his bruised lips with my fingers and smiled at him. "I love you, too." It was the first time I ever said it to him, and I prayed it wouldn't be the last.  

 


	21. Saved

* * *

* * *

 

"What do you mean you're pregnant?!" I sat at the dining room table, staring down at the ultrasound pictures as my dad stood up from his chair in complete outrage. "Sadie! How did you allow this to happen?" I thought it would be smart to tell my parents once the doctor confirmed what I already knew and at 4 ½ months pregnant, I could no longer hide it. There was no way in hell I was going to abort it, so I told my parents thinking they'd support me. But I was wrong, so, so wrong.

"Is that how you lived out in Nashville? Sleeping around in hopes you'd land a singing career? I'm so disappointed in you Sadie. I'm appalled to call you my daughter." I sat in silence, what was I to say to _that_? I know we've butt heads every since I was old enough to voice my opinion, but this? It was too much.

"You're overreacting," my voice was so weak that I knew before I was finished with that sentence the wolf would pounce.

"Overreacting? Me? I provide you with a roof over your head, food in the fridge and money in your bank account so you can life a perfect life with hopes that you'd actually want to do something with it. But then you go behind my back and run off to Nashville only to come home knocked up."

"That's not what happened..."

"That's exactly what happened." He crossed his arms, which made him look even more menace.

I opened my mouth to say no, but he asked the one question I was dreading more than this conversation. "Who's the father?" I blinked, my throat suddenly closing up. "You don't even know!" He threw his arms up in the air looking at me with bewilderment.

"It's..." I can't say his name, I can't!

Chase and I had a long conversation of what being pregnant would do for his career. He said there will be some bumps along the road, but everything will work out. He's proof of that. His dad was at the top of career when Chase was born and his parents managed to balance home life with the racing aspect of it. "I will not leave you alone to raise our baby." I've held onto that promise for the last few months and I can't let go of that now.

"Tell me!"

"It's Chase's," I whispered.

Silence.

Then he spoke, "I knew you were wrong for him the moment you two started to date." His voice was calm, scary calm. "I thought it was just young puppy love that would be over before it even started. But then it got serious, too serious. So I had to intervene."  
"What?" I blinked up at him.  
"Who do you think introduced Chase to Britney?" The wind was knocked out of my chest and I felt sick to my stomach.

It made complete sense though.

Chase was never the one to go running after girls. When I met him, he was shy and stuttered, but when we got to talking about racing, he couldn't shut up. Somewhere between dirt tracks and late summer nights, we fell in love, until...

"I can't believe you would do that to your own daughter!"

"You were a distraction and if I would have told you to stop dating him, you wouldn't have listened." He looked at me, his eyes icy with no ounce of love there. I'm starting to think he never loved me because I wasn't the son he always wanted. "You're going to ruin his career if you bring that bastard into this world." His icy glare shot right into my heart and his words twisted like knives. "You've been a disappointment to the family and it ends today." He started to walk out of the room, but stopped right when he got to the doorway. "I no longer have a daughter as far as I'm concerned. I want you gone before I get back or so help me God."

That's when I lost it.

The tears that I've been holding back started to stream down my face. I reached out for my mom but she shot up out of her seat, handed me the ultrasound and ushered me to my room. She didn't say a word as she started to pack for me and as I just stood there. "You're on his side?" I couldn't believe it, my own mother!

"He's just angry, Sadie, let him cool off for a bit."

"Angry or not, he just disowned me!" Anger drove me to help my mom pack up my things in double time. By the time I threw my suitcases into the back of my truck, an hour barely went by.

It wasn't until I got to the end of my driveway when things start to sink in and then further down the road when it became impossible to drive with tears filling my eyes. I pulled over and grabbed my phone out of my purse and dialed the only number that I could. "Hey, this is Chase, I can't come to the phone right now." I hung up and pressed redial, "Hey, this is Chase." I redialed again, and again and again.

Every time I got his voicemail, panic began to bubble up inside of me. "Chase!" I cried, finally allowing the "beep" to come on to leave a message. "I don't know where I am, but I need you. My dad kicked me out. He knows. I'm so so sorry. I messed everything up." I hiccuped, rushing through my erratic thoughts. "Chase," I cried one more time before hanging up, pressing redial. Still no answer. So I sent him a text _save me from this hell_.

I crawled up in a ball on my seat, holding onto my phone, wishing and praying it would ring. My life was shattering all around me and there was nothing I could do about it.

I squeezed my eyes tightly and prayed. I prayed for the safety of my baby and that I would be the best damn mother and will be able to afford to give it half the lifestyle I grew up having. I prayed for Chase, for him to have endless love that my father doesn't have.

The door to my truck flew open, "Sadie?" I sat up and launched myself at Chase as he climbed in. "I've got you now, Princess," he cooed in my ear, rubbing his hands up and down my neck. "Sadie, I got you. You're safe now." He rocked me back and forth, his soothing touch trying to calm down my troubled soul.

"How did you managed to find me?"

He smiled, "I know my girl." I rolled my eyes at him. "Is that a smile I see on your lips?"

"No, seriously, tell me."

"Your mom actually. She showed up at the meeting I was in and told me everything. She's on your side, Sadie." I was shocked but not shocked, she always does stuff behind my dad's back. I waited for another explanation but I didn't get one. Then I started to laugh. "Like I said, I know my girl." I somehow drove down to the river were Chase and I always met up at in the middle of the night. My subconscious lead me here.

"You mean your girls." The fading sunlight cast a glow over Chase's face and I could see the exact moment when he got what I said.

"It's a girl?" He gasped, his eyes started to swim with tears.

"Uh huh," I smiled and handed him the ultrasound. Chase's smile grew so large and I think that was the moment it really hit him that he's going to be a dad. "You're going to be an amazing father, Chase." He touched the picture with his fingers and then repeated the motion on my stomach.

"I'm never going to let anything happen to you," his voice was so soft, "to both of you." He looked at me then, leaning in and sealing the promise with a kiss.  


	22. Forever

* * *

* * *

**December 31, 2013**

_"I'm gonna marry you one day, Sadie, watch and see." Chase's eyes sparkled with excitement as he held me close to him. We were cuddled together on a hammock underneath the moonlight as my parents gathered together with friends and family to countdown to the New Year._

_"What?" I was so caught off guard I wasn't sure I heard him right._

_He took my left hand in his and brought it up to his lips, "I'm going to put a ring on this finger and call you mine for the rest of my life." As fireworks shot off in the distance, my heart repeated the notion as his lips connected with my skin._

******

**February 21, 2016**

I smiled down at the ring on my left finger as I stood by Chase on pit road before the Daytona 500. It wasn't just a ring, but it was a promise and reminder that through all of our hardship and tribulations, we made it through all of them and came out stronger and impossibly more in love.

After that night my father kicked me out of his life, I moved in with Chase. It wasn't even a question of would or wouldn't I. We cleared the air about everything; what my father said about Britney and how things actually panned out. Here, what I saw was the extent of it. He made it very clear to her that he wasn't interesting but she kept insisting. He put his foot down at his birthday party. Nothing more was said on that subject, and those memories are now dust to the wind.

Christmas Eve I found out Chase gave my father an ultimatum. Either he straightened up and be the father he never was to me, or he walks from the 24 team. Christmas morning I got my answer when I woke up.

_"Merry Christmas, Sadie." Chase brushed his nose against my neck and pressed a kiss to my temple when I blinked my eyes open. "Merry Christmas, baby girl." He rubbed my stomach causing butterflies to flutter in the pit of my stomach. It's amazing at how after all these years, this man still got them going._

_"Merry Christmas, Daddy," I cooed back to him._

_He chuckled and started to get out of bed, "c'mon, I have a surprise for you."_

_Chase covered my eyes as he led me through a maze in the house so I couldn't figure out where we were going. "Stand right here."_

_I felt him move from me but I grabbed him, "don't leave me."_

_"I won't, I'm right by your side," he kissed my cheek and whispered, "now, open."_

_I blinked my eyes opened and instantly they flooded with tears. The spare room next to our bedroom was turned into a nursery. Everything I could ever wanted was in this room. The far wall was covered in a elegant gray wallpaper with the baby's name, Charlotte Rose, in turquoise wooden blocks mounted on the wall. Underneath the name, was a beautiful white crib with a matching bed set. "Is that?" I laughed walking towards the mobile hanging above the crib._

_"Yeah," Chase said sheepishly. It was his diecast spray painted gray, pink and turquoise._

_I reached inside the crib and took out the Teddy Bear that had a 24 shirt on with Chase's name and held onto it tightly. Everywhere my eye landed, I saw something new that took my breath away. A bookshelf held endless children stories and trophies Chase has won throughout his career. A rocking chair sat next to the bay window that overlooked the pond. A stunning armoire stood on the adjacent wall, each drawer was full of baby clothes and accessories. I lost it when I saw the guitar, or more importantly, the note attached to it._

I should have helped you chased your dreams. I'm truly sorry I was never there for you, but I will be now and I'll do whatever it takes to make your daughter's dreams soar - love, Dad.

_I looked up at Chase who took the note from my hand and wiped the tears streaming down my face. "Can I give you my gift now?"_ _  
_ _"There's more? I don't think I can handle anything else right now." Chase smiled instantly and lead me to the window so I could sit down._

_"Just one small thing, I promise."_

Fireworks and loud cheers shook me out of my memory on the morning Chase proposed to me and I was met with chocolate brown eyes with a brilliant smile.

Chase Elliott, the man of my dreams and the father to our unborn child looked at me like he already won the race. "I'll see you in victory lane, okay?" I hugged him, saying a little prayer to keep him safe and to bring my baby back in one piece.

"I'll meet you there, gotta give Charlotte a nice new trophy." He winked and gave me a kiss before kneeling down and whispering to my stomach that "daddy is going to win this race for you."

I watched on top of the pitbox as Chase led the field of cars across the start/finish line for his first official Sprint Cup race in the 24 car. I thought about how everything worked out in the end, how Chase is living his dream and how mine shifted to being a mother. A chill ran up my spine just then and I felt a kick for the first time.

Yeah, this is how everything was supposed to be and I wouldn't want it any other way.

 


	23. Epilogue

* * *

* * *

 

**June 5,  2016**

"Chase? Ready to put Charlotte to bed?" I walked into the living room and stopped dead in my tracks. There, on the couch, laid Chase with our baby, fast asleep. He just got home from Pocono with the trophy in hand went straight for Charlotte to show her the Eagle on it. She was still too young to travel so I stayed home with her. I only left the room for a moment and here I was, standing in the doorway watching my babies sleep.

Chase must of sensed me because he woke up. "I fell asleep, didn't I?" I just smiled at him and shook my head yes.

"Can't blame you, you did just win a race." I walked over to the couch and snuggled up next to him.

"Yeah, but it's nothing compared to coming home to my girls." He kissed Charlotte on her forehead, her brown eyes popping open slightly before closing and falling back to sleep. He then turned to me, my heart skipping a beat as he slowly leaned in and kissed my lips.

"Think we can go to bed and not wake her up like we did the other night?" Chase gave me that devilish smirk that shot right to my core.

"Guess I'm just too good for you to keep quiet." I rolled my eyes at him as I took Charlotte to her room before Chase pulled me away quickly and threw me onto our bed.

For the record, we woke up Charlotte. Guess Chase is just that good. 

 

**~ The End ~**

 


End file.
